In this first installment of Found in Translation we analyze how director Alejandro Iñárritu subverts the Hollywood gaze.

When foreign directors make the leap into Hollywood filmmaking, they bring with them unique outlooks shaped by their countries of origin. Channeling these perspectives through the prism of a Hollywood movie affords viewers the opportunity to see stories in an entirely new light, with eyes through which they might not ordinarily see. In this three-part series, we will focus on Mexican directors currently working in Hollywood and how their filmmaking conveys and humanizes the experiences of the underrepresented.

In Part I, we take a look at the work of Oscar-winning director, Alejandro González Iñárritu (The Revenant, Birdman). In his 2006 film, Babel, Iñárritu seamlessly interweaves the stories of several different characters from around the world, all of whom are united by the experience of suffering. He avoids showing foreign countries and their inhabitants through a “postcard-lens,” opting instead to highlight the reality of his characters’ lives and experiences.

Check out The Last Elvis, written and directed by Armando Bó, who wrote Iñárritu's Birdman and Biutiful.

Like the "Found in Translation" series? Check out our second installment on Alfonso Cuarón here.